IFA 06 Toshiba will bring its first living room HD DVD player to Europe in November, the company announced late last week. It will follow up the mainstream launch with a higher end model early the following month, the company added.

First out of the door is the HD-E1, capable of handling not only pre-recorded HD DVDs, but DVD and CD media too. It can output at HD resolutions 720p and 1080i over an HDMI 1.2 cable.

Related stories

• Toshiba puts back UK HD DVD roll-out
• Brits spend more on HD DVD than Blu-ray
• HP debuts HD DVD add-on drive
• Toshiba touts laptop-friendly HD DVD burner
• Lite-On to ship HD DVD drive next year
• Toshiba readies revised HD DVD players
• TWIN DVD arrives
• Diode dearth still hindering blue-laser drive shipments?
• Hollywood demands 64-bit PCs for HD DVD, Blu-ray playback?
• A draw in the next-generation DVD war?
• ATI to fit digital TV chip into GPU for Blu-ray/HD DVD
• Europe demands Blu-ray Disc, HD DVD licensing details
• Toshiba delays HD DVD recorder debut
• HD DVD backers plan $150m marketing blitz

The HD-EX1, due December, adds 1080p support and circuitry to upscale standard-definition content to 1080p size - but not picture quality. The higher-end model will also ship with an HDMI 1.3 port.

The HD-E1 will ship mid-November for €599. The HD-EX1 will retail for around €899. ®